How to Choose Your Vegetables

Many of the principles of picking out your fruit also apply to vegetables.  Here are some simply rules to follow:

1) Buy in season.  There are many different seasonal charts for fruits and vegetables.  Here's one that I follow.

2) Buy from bins, not groups in bags. One spoiled apple will ruin the bunch.  Over-ripe fruit releases a gas that will make the fruit around them also begin to rot.

3) Use your eyes.  

  Here's what you don't want:

      - Mold

      - Soft spots

      - Bruising

      - Wilted leaves

      - Sprouts (potatoes, garlic, onions) 

   Here's what you DO want:

      - Bright and lively colors usually contain the highest level of nutrients.

      - Crisp and firm leaves.

4) Use your nose. Make sure that your vegetables don't smell sour.

5) Use your hands.  Gently feel the vegetables to make sure that there are no bruises, no soft spots, and the appropriate firmness. 

6) Choose the smaller vegetables.  This seems counter-intuitive since you want to get the biggest produce for your money, however, the smaller the fruit, the higher the skin:flesh ratio.  This ratio is important because the highest level of nutrients are found in the flesh just under the skin.

7) Don't settle.  THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT RULE! Take your time in picking out the highest quality for vegetables.